ACMPR Renewal the Easy Way – How to Renew your Grow License

If only our ACMPR grow licenses lasted forever, and we didn’t have to deal with the government paperwork our lives would be bliss.

That said, if done properly with the right help from the right people, your ACMPR renewal can actually be quite easy and painless, and NOT the major f-around it appears to be.

Renewal time is also the perfect time to get two birds stoned at once (as Ricky would say) and increase your plant count!

In this article, we will take a look at the basics of an ACMPR renewal, and a few tips and tricks to help keep your garden growing legally.

If this is your first ACMPR grow license, read our guide to learn more about getting started with a high plant count.

If you would like to renew your license or are looking for a new license, please enter your email below to get started right away

ACMPR RENEWAL Information in this Article

• How to get started right away on your grow license renewal
• The 5 most asked questions about grow license renewals
• Information about how long your renewal will take
• Switching addresses, plant counts, and indoors to outdoors (and vice-versa)
• Important notes to remember about a Health Canada grow license renewal

I Want to Start my ACMPR Renewal Right Now!

We all know the government can’t keep up with demand, that’s why we grow our own.

If this is your first renewal, we suggest reading the whole article as it will tell you everything you need to know.

For those of you that already know how it works and would like to start your ACMPR renewal right away, contact us below to learn how we can help.

You will receive an instant reply full of all the info, prices, options, and some additional FAQ’s.

The 5 Most Asked Questions About an ACMPR Renewal

You have questions, we have answers.

ACMPR renewals always come with the same set of questions.

There are many resources out there that may answer them (or at least make a weak attempt at it), including Health Canada’s website, but none seem to outline EXACTLY how to renew your ACMPR in a simple easy-to-understand manner.

We decided to take the confusion out of it. Enough is enough, it’s time for the truth.

Here are the 5 most commonly asked questions we are asked, and the simple straightforward no B.S answers.

1. What Medical Documentation do I Need to Renew my ACMPR?

This depends on the doctor/clinic you choose to help you.

Some clinics will want a referral from a specialist, medical history proving your condition, maybe even a physical!

The list can go on from there.

We feel this is a violation of your trust and privacy. If you say you are sick, we believe you.

At CGC we never ask for a medical history, just a photo ID is all it takes to renewal and increase your ACMPR.

2. Is there a special form for my ACMPR renewal?

You use the same application form you used for your original license.

The only difference is you check the box for “Renewal” as opposed to “New Application”.

*TIP* We have heard of people writing “renewal” on the envelope and having theirs processed significantly faster. This has never been confirmed by Health Canada, but we know growers that swear by it!

3. Can I Raise my ACMPR Plant Count?

The simple answer is yes!

The more complicated answer is it again depends on the doctor/clinic that you see.

Some doctors have limits of 5 grams a day, 10 grams a day, 50 grams a day, or what have you.

You must first ask your doctor what their maximum prescription is, and decide if this suits your needs. You may want to look for help getting a higher limit elsewhere.

Our limit at CGC is 95 grams a day. We can take your existing prescription of as low as 1 gram a day, and renew into 95 grams a day!

If you would like to check out the plant counts for 95 grams a day, here is a link to plant calculator.

We want you to grow BIG!

4. Do I Need a New Prescription?

Yes, you need a new prescription. There is no way around this.

By law, a doctor can only write you a medical cannabis prescription for a maximum of one year.

We all wish they would last forever, but a year-long prescription is actually quite long by medical standards.

A typical prescription for pill-based medicine is 30 days, with a doctor visit every 90 days to refill. When you think about it, a year isn’t so bad!

About two or three months before your ACMPR grow license is set to expire, you should be starting to work on your renewal.

We have seen renewals come back in as little as 3 weeks, even with an increase to 95 grams per day. Health Canada is bombarded with applications, it’s all luck of the draw how long they will realistically take.

Your renewal doesn’t have to be a time-consuming process. Choosing the right clinic plays a big role in the ease of getting your ACMPR renewal done.

5. Can I Change Doctors?

Of course, you can change doctors.

Just like any prescription medication, you must make sure you are comfortable with the doctor that is prescribing to you.

If you feel your doctor isn’t taking you seriously, doesn’t understand why you need to increase your plant count, or makes you feel awkward in any way let us help you.

Our doctors understand what you are going through, and will never judge.

How Long Does an ACMPR Renewal Take?

Your ACMPR renewal can be broken down into two parts.

The first is getting the new prescription in your hand, the second is sending it to Health Canada and waiting for the super fast government workers (jokes) to actually renew it.

Getting the new prescription is the easy part, and depending on your doctor could be a matter of days. We can often do appointments the day after you contact us, and have your script in the mail the day after that.

When it comes to Heath Canada, that is a different matter.

Some of you reading this may have waited six months for your original license. We know, this is ridiculous.

Luckily renewals can be much quicker. We see our renewals coming back in as little as 3 weeks. That said, we always say to budget 3 months just in case.

Can I switch my ACMPR license to grow indoors, to a license to grow outdoors?

When you fill out your renewal application, you have the chance to re-designate your choices.

This is a great time to let Health Canada know of any address changes, increases in grams per day, or indoor vs outdoor growing.

You would just check the new appropriate box on the ACMPR renewal application for your change.

We recommend waiting for the new license to arrive before actually switching anything up.

Remember, an indoor plant count is much higher than an outdoor plant count.

If you are switching to outdoor, it may be worthwhile re-visiting the Heath Canada plant calculator to see if you need an increase in grams per day, to boost up your plant count.

What is Happening to the ACMPR Program Now That Weed is Legal?

There has been a lot of speculation about what is happening to the ACMPR program.

Technically the ACMPR program is transitioning into the Canadian Cannabis Act.

Do not fear, this does not affect your ACMPR renewal in the slightest.

In reality, this is nothing more than a name change. The actual rules and procedures stay the same.

This is more about setting the framework for the recreational side.

In 2018 the government of Canada released a statement that the medical side of the ACMPR (now Cannabis Act) would not be revisited for 3 to 5 years.

Growers need not fear Health Canada shutting us down.

Important Notes to Remember

1. Get an early start on your renewal.
2. Decide if you would like to increase your plant count.
3. Find THE RIGHT clinic that meets your needs. Do you research to make sure their doctors are credible.
4. Make sure you send your new prescription to Health Canada at least 2 or 3 months in advance.
5. Do not increase your plant count until you have the new ACMPR license to grow from Health Canada.
6. Ask about special pricing for renewals (contact us to learn more).
7. Keep growing your own weed! Don’t give up and poison yourself with the government’s crap.

An ACMPR renewal has become part of life for us medical growers.

Let’s all do our best to keep legal and use the system for us, so they can’t use it against us.

Have questions? Like our service? Leave a comment below or shoot us an email. Don’t forget to check our article on questions you might have about medical marijuana cards (hint: it doesn’t exist!) or read more about MMPR or MMAR and other Cannabis laws in this country.

Fill in our contact form below to receive an instant reply full of all the info, prices, options, and some additional FAQ’s.

Happy Growing!